Wire-fence machine.



W. C, SMITH.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 191 2. RENEWED Jun 31,1915.

1,174,771. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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WIRE FENCE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB-14,1912. RENEWED JULY 31. 1915.

1 174,771 Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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v WIRE FENCE MACHjNE. APFLlCATlON FILED FEB. 14. 1912. RENEWED JULY 31,1915.

1 174,77 1. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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W. C. SMITH.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.14, 1912. RENEWED JULY 31.1915.

1,174,771. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, I912. RENEWED JULY 31,19l5.

1,174,771.. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

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W. C. SMITH.

WIRE FENCE MACHlNE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1912. RENEWED JULY 31.1915.

1 174,77 1 n Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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W. C. SMITH.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1912. RENEWED JULY 31.1915.

1,174,771 Patented Mar. 7, 1916. I

15 SHEETSSHEET I.

Tm: coLuMmA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, nv c.

W. C. SMITH.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB-14,1912. RENEWED JULY 31,1915.

1,174,771. I Patented-M2117, 1916.

I5 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

W. 0. SMITH.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-14, 1912. RENEWED JULY 31.1915.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH .Co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

w. 0. SMITH. WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4, I912- RENEWED JULY 31. I915.

1,1 74,7? 1 Patented Mala 7, 1916.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

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WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1912. RENEWED JULY 31.1915.

1,174,771. Patented Mar. 916

W. C. SMITH.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB-14,1912. RENEWED JULY 31,1915.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

I5 SHEETS-SHEET 12.

W. C. SMITH.

WlRE FENCE MACHINE. APPLlCATlON FILED FEB. 14, 1912. RENEWED JULY 31,1915.

1,174,771 Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1912. RENEWED JULY 31.1915.

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W. C. SMITH.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE. I

APPLICATION FILED FEB.14,1912. RENEWED JULY 31.1915. 1,174,771.

15 SHEETS SHEET l 5- Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. wAsmNn'roN, u. c.

UNIT STTES PAT FFIQE.

WILLIAM C. SMITH, OF CLEVELAND, OI-IIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO A. E. MERKEL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

WIRE-FENCE MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. "2, 1916.

- Application filed February 14, 1912, Serial No. 677,630. Renewed July 31, 1915. Serial No. 43,029.

and stay-wires are fed into the machine automatically and the completed fence is discharged automatically therefrom.

The object of my said invention is to combine in one machine coordinated elements which will automatically perform the functions of the two separate machines shown, described and claimed in U. S. Patents Nos. 689,430 and 689,488, issued December 2st,

1901, on inventions made jointly by me and.

Jonathan Harris; and thereby increase the speed of the operation of and coincidently decrease the cost of manufacturing the fence which said previously patented machines were designed by their joint use to manufacture.

More specifically my said object is to com bine in a single automatically operating machine, mechanism which will form stays provided at intervals therealong with crimped loops, feed line-wires, carry such crimped loops into the vicinity of such line wires, and effect the engagement of such loops and line wires to form the lock shown, described and claimed in U. S. Patent No. 689.465 issued December 20, 1901,to Simeon C. Davis.

To this end my said invention consists of means hereinafter fully described and particularly set forth in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain means embodying my invention, the disclosed means, however, constituting but one of various mechanical forms in which the principles of my invention may be applied.

In said annexed drawings: Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a wire-fence machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 rep- ,resents a rear-elevation of said machine.

Fig. 3 represents a side-elevation of such machine as viewed from the right hand. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation thereof as viewed from the left band. Fig. 5 represents a top-plan with the central transverse portion of the machine broken away. Fig. 6 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the entire machine taken upon the planes indicated by line V IVI in Figs. 3 and and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 7 represents a vertical transverse section taken upon the plane indicated by the line VIIVII in Fig. 5 and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 8 represents a perspective view of a fragmentary part of the machine upon an enlarged scale, including the stay-wire feeding-means, the means for intermediately supporting the stays. and adjacent elements or parts thereof. Fig. 8 represents the knife used in severing the stay-wire to form separate stays. -Fig. 9 represents a perspective view, also upon an enlarged scale, of a fragmentary part of the machine including the means for guiding one of the line-wires into the machine. Fig. 10 represents a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8, and upon the same scale. Fig. 11 represents a cross-section of parts shown in Fig. 10, taken upon a plane indicated by line XI-XI in said Fig. 10, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 12 represents upon an enlarged scale, a vertical transverse secticn of a fragmentary part of the upper portion of the machine, and taken upon the same plane as is that section illustrated by Fig. 7. Fig. 12 represents a side elevation of parts shown in Fig. 12,

together with fragmentary parts of con nected elements. Fig. 12 on the last sheet, represents a perspective view of still other parts shown in said Fig. 12, and particularly one of the fingers used for carrying the stays from the loop-crimping means to and partially through the stay-guiding channels. Fig. 13 represents in perspective and upcn an enlarged scale one of the multiplicity of bending, twisting and loopcrimping means, with fragmentary portions of connected parts. Fig. 11 represents a vertical transverse section of one ofthe mul tiplicitv of die-members included in the parts illustrated by Fig. 13. Fig. 14 represents a longitudinal.verticalsection of the parts shown in Fig. 14: and taken upcn the planes indicated by line XIV XIV in Fig. 14. Figs. 15, 16 and 17 each illustrate in perspective, an axial section of a fragmentary portion of one of the multiplicity of the twistfngbars, a fragmentary porticn of a stay, and one of the multiplicity of bending plungers, depicting their several relations in successively occurring positions. Fig. 18 represents, in perspective, a vertical section of one of the multiplicity of movable crimping dies, and (ne of the multiplicity of the complementary crimping punches, together with a fragment of the frame in which the latter is mounted, and a fragmentary part of a stay with a completed loop formed therein in place on one of said dies. Fig. 19 represents a horizontal section of a fragmentary portion of the machine taken upon the plane indicated by line XIX-XIX. in Fig. 7, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 20 represents a top plan, on an enlarged scale, of a fragmentary portion of the machine, showing parts in horizontal section, and including part of the driving mechanism. Fig. 21 represents a vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 20. taken upon the plane indicated by line XXIXXI in said figure, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 22 represents a vertical section of parts also shown in Fig. 20 taken upon the plane indicated by line XXIIXXII in said figure and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 23 represents a horizcntal section of a fragmentary part of the machine and showing part of the stay-guiding means and staycarrying means in top plan. Fig. 24: represents a vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 23 and taken upon the plane indicated by line XXIVXXIV in said figure. Fig. 25 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a side elevation of one of the multiplicity of dies and connected parts used in connection with the operation of eil'ecting the engagement of the loops of the stays with the line-wires together with a fragmentary portion of one of the keepers cooperating therewith. Fig. 25 represents in perspective, one of the multiplicity of pairs of clamping-jaws, detached, and cooperating with said dies and keepers to efiect the said engagement. Fig. 26 represents a front elevation of three of such dies and connected parts, together with fragmentary portions of the corresponding keepers. Fig. 27 represents a bottom plan of the single die shown in Fig. 25, showing also the corresponding keeper in horizontal section therein. Fig. 28 represents a vertical section of one of the dies, taken upon the plane indicated by line XXVIII XXVIII in Fig. 26, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 29 represents a e i l e ie .e the said th taken upon the plane indicated by line XXIXXXIX in Fig. 28. Fig. 30 repre sents a vertical transverse section of a fragmentary portion of the machine taken uptn the plane indicated by the line XXX- XXX in Fig. 1, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 31 represents in elevation a detail portion of the machine and including a portion of that part of the mechanism designed to twist the ends of the stays around the outermost or finishing line wires of the fence. Fig. 32 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a section of the parts shown in Fig. 81, taken upon the plane indicated by the line XXXIIXXXII in said figure. Fig. 32 represents a front elevatitn of the keeper and holder operating in connection with the winding devices the view being taken upon the plane indicated by line XXXIIX.I.XII of Fig. Fig. 33 represents a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 31. Fig. 84 represents a fragment of one of the outermost line-wires and of a stay, showing the end of the latter wound around the former.

The illustrated embodiment of my invention comprises the following coordinated main elements all combined in a unitary and automaticallyoperating structure, namely: means for feeding a stay-wire in the direction of its axis; means for severing the said wire to form stays; means for simultaneously forming a multiplicity of bends in srch stay; means for simultaneously twisting the bends to form lcops; means for crimping such it ops; means for effecting the engagement of said loops and a correspond ing number of line-wires to form locks; means for simultaneously feeding such linewires through the sphere of operation of said lock-forming means; means for carrying the stays to the bending-means; means for carrying the stays to the crimpingmeans; and means for carrying the stays to the lock-forming means. said carrying means including a guide and means for moving the stay therethrough. A main-frame A is provided for supporting all of the abovenamed main-elements together with all of the driving-mechanism and the parts for effecting the coordination of said mainelements. lhe driving mechanism includes a horizontal main driving shaft B mounted in the lower part of the frame and having keyed upon its left-hand end. a large gear B meshing with a pinion B Fig. 4, secured to a stub-axle B to which is also secured a gear 13*. This latter gear meshes with a pinion B secured to a second stub-axle B" on which is fixed the driving-pulley B", suitable bearings secured to the adiacent part of frame A being provided for these axles, as will be readily understood. This large gear B drives a train of gears Z) and b, and

t e atte d i 3 upp s en a y dri ingshaft 13 Fig. 5. At the right-hand end of secondary-shaft B is secured a bevel-pinion b which drives a bevel-gear secured to an upper transverse shaft B on which are secured a number of cams and other elements whose location and functicns will be hereinafter further described. The right-hand end of the main-shaft extends beyond the frame A, drives the reels and performs other functions also hereinafter further described.

Stay-wire feeding means.Fixed upon the transverse shaft B is a cam C, Fig. 3, which engages a roller 0, fixed to a yoke C which straddles shaftB as shown in Fig. 6, and carries at its upper end a vertically extending rack C which meshes with a pinion 0 loosely mounted upcn a counter-shaft C Figs. 5 and 20. This pinion has an extension formed with ratchet teeth'c locatedwithin a recessed gear C Figs. :21 and 22, and said teeth are engaged by a series of springpressed pawls c fixed to said recessed gear. These teeth and pawls are so arranged that when the rack C moves upwardly, rotation of gear C will be effected, and upon the downward raclomovcment. it remains stationary. Intermittent rotation of gear C is therefo e, it will be noted, effected. This gear C meshes with a pinion c fixed to a second countershaft 0 Figs. 8, 19 and 20, which also carries a gear 0 fixed thereto meshing with a pinion c fixed to c untershaft C The rear end of said shaft C has fixed upon it, a grooved and toothed feed-roll C Figs. 8 and 10. The teeth of this roll mesh with the teeth of a second grooved feed-roll C mounted upon a rod 0 mounted so as to be adjustable toward and from the countershaft C in any suitable well-known man ner, whereby the distance between the contiguous portions of the peripheries of the two feed-rolls may be varied, so that the feeding-pressure exerted upon the wire fed by such rolls may be adjusted to assume the proper degree, as will be readily understood. Fixed to the frame A, adjacent to the feedrolls C and C, is an extension A, provided with guide-rollers, as shown, for leading the stay-wire S through an aperture (4 and between the feed-rolls; Alincd with the said feed-rolls is a guiding tube a passing throrgh a housing a secured to the frame A,

' Figs. 5, 8 and 10.

Means for forming the bends-Formed in the upper surface of the frame A, is a dove-tail groove a Figs. 5, 7 and 12, extending parallel with the direction of staywire feed. In this grooveare seated a plurality of alined bending devices E, corresponding in number with the number of intermediate line-wires which form a part of the fence which the machine is designed to construct. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention these line-wires are nine in number. .,Each of ,these bending devices,

or fixed bending device, articulate at one end with a transverse bar F, and the corresponding ends of the other four levers, articulate with a bar F see also Fig. 5. The outermost of the second-named four Four of these levers those on one side of the central levers articulates with a bar F at a' point intermediate of the lovers pivotal point and the point of its articulation with the corresponding bolt 6, which initurn articulates with the bar F. The pivotal axes of these two sets of levers vary in distance from the axes of their corresponding bolts 0. The outermost of each of these sets of lever's is pivoted farthermost from its bolt-axis, and this pivotal distance decreases with each successive lever of each set, as shown. It will therefore be noted that a reciprocating movement upon the part of bar F will-effect the oscillation of levers F upon their pivotal axes. The variation of the location of the pivotal axes, however, will cause these arms of the levers which articulate with the bending devices to oscillate through arcs of various lengths and hence effect reciprocating movements upon the part of the housings E of various amplitudes. The reciprocating movement ofthe bar F. therefore. in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 19, will cause each member move inwardly toward the middle or fixed bending device, by virtue of the arrangement and connection of bars F, F and F In addition to this movement, however, each housing will furthermore have a movement relativelv to its adjacent housing, so that during the described'movement of bar F, the distance between the successive movable housings will .be lessened. The lengths of the levers and positions of their pivotal axes are made such that this described lessening of distances will equal exactly the lessening in distances between each other on the part of points in a stay-wire which are located in the wire and upon the center of the bends, and which takes place when a straight wire is formed with a plurality of bends which lessens the distance between its extremities. Vi hen the bar F is moved in the opposite direction, it will of course fol-' low that the housings will move outwardly from the center or fixed housing and increasetheir respective distances from each ofeach of the two groups of housings to g other. Each such housing is formed with a vertically extending groove 6 Figs. 12 and 13, in which slides a die-member E which consists of a main-portion e formed with a recess 6' opposite a bore 0 formed in the housing, a die a and two oscillatory stay-seat carrier-members e 6 Fig. 149. The die a is formed with the die-recess e and the extensions 6 e laterally thereof. The stay-seat carrier-members are mounted upon a common rod 6 with which is connected a coil-spring e which tends to norm'ally maintain contact between the lower ends of members 6 e and the extensions 0 e of the die 6", but which will allow them to swing toward the housing E. These lower ends are formed with stay-seat recesses e which intersect those surfaces of said members .6 e which are normally in contact with the die-member. and said recesses are also, as shown in Fig. 14-. downwardly and rearwarollv inclined. The lefthand end, as viewed from the rear of the machine, of each such recess, and as shown in Fig. 1st, is outwardly flared, and the two recesses are horizontallv alined with each other and with all similar recesses of the other bending de ices. This multiplicity of horizontally alined recesses form the stay-seat wherein the stay is heldwhile being bent and after having been inserted therein by the action of the stay-wire feeding-means, as will hereinafter appear.

Each bore 6 of the bending devices forms a bearing for a plunger E whose rearmost end is provided with two grooves e (2 parallel with the plungers axis, Fig. 15. To each of these plungers is imparted a reciprocating movement which causes the said rearmost end to intermittently project itself into recess 6 and across the space occupied by a stay when in position in the stay-seat formed by said recesses e The width of the die-recess e is just sufficient to permit the plunger to readily enter therein. Such reciprocating movement therefore forces that portion of the wire of the stay which lies adjacent and opposite the plunger into the die 0 and into the grooves e to form bends such as is shown in Fig. 16. This reciprocating movement is imparted to the plunger by providing the front end of each of the latter with an external thread which is engaged by an externally and internally threaded sleeve E, whose external thread is engaged by a nut E suitably fixed to the housing E, and rotating the sleeve E, the external and internal threads of the latter being of opposite direction as shown. The plungers are suitably splined in their respective bearings in order to prevent rotation thereof during such reciprocating move ment. as will be readily understood.

Rotation of the sleeves E is effected by means of shafts E whose rearends are connected with the sleeves E by means of universal joints, as shown in Figs. 5 and 12. The opposite or front ends of these shafts are each connected with a shaft-portion E by means of a second universal joint. These shaft-portions are each mounted in a hollow rotatable sleeve E itself mounted in a suitable bearing A Fig. 5, in the frame A, and are splined in such sleeves so asto be slidable thereon and rotatable therewith. Each sleeve E has secured thereon a bevel-pinion E which is in mesh with a bevel gear B. These gears E are i all mounted upon a common shaft E. The shaft connections between the bending devices and the shaft E are therefore flexible and extensible and the described movement of the housings E in the groove (4 may take place without interfering with the rotation of said connections.

The use of the double-threaded sleeves E" is resorted to in order to obtain the required amplitude of reciprocation on the part of blun ers E with a comparatively short m vement of the sleeves E in the direction of their several axes, and hence with a few turns of the shafts E. The rotation of said shafts E in opposite directions alternately will therefore effect the simultaneous reciprocation of the plungers in the housings E to perform the bending operation.

The described rotation of shaft E is obtained through the medium of a cam E (Fig. Sl mounted upon the trans erse shaft B". This cam engages a roller E (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3) secured to a yoke E carrying at its upper end a rack E This rack engages a pinion E (F g. 1) which is secured to the shaft E. The reciprocation of the said rack will effect the required rotation of said shaft E alternately in opposite directions.

The concomitant movement of the bar F is effected also by the transverse shaft B, through the medium of a cam F mounted thereon. This cam engages a roller F Fig. 6, mounted upon the lever F pivoted upon the frame A. This lever articulates with bar F and its oscillation produces the required reciprocation of the latter to move the housings E in the groove of, as previously described. Inasmuch as those ends of levers F which articulate with the bars F and F move through arcs varying from each other. the pivot-pins for these levers are mounted loosely in slots f formed thereon as shown in Fig. 19, in order to prevent binding of the parts and permit of the required oscillation.

By causing the bending devices to move inwardly toward a common point, I obtain the reouired change of position on the part of said devices. from that occupied at the beginning of the bending operations to that occupied. thereby at theend-of such operations, within a minimum space, and am thus able to make the machine of minimum width.

The upper end of each die-member E is provided with a roller 6, (Fig. 13) and all of these rollers engage a horizontal groove g formed in a bar G above the bendirg devices and extending longitudinally of the machine, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and (3. This'bar is carried upon the end of two oscillatory bell-cranks G G, which are. shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, and located near opposite sides of the frame and mounted upon standards it 71 forming a part of a secondary and reciprocable frame H. This frame H is mounted in suitable horizontal and transversely located guideways a a extending toward the rear of the machine, as shown in Figs. 8, 4 and 5. Blocks 0, fixed to frame A, articulate with the lower arms of the bell-cranks G G as shown, by means of pins g g secured to said arms and having bearings in said blocks. By means of this described construction, it will be seen that the frame H in cooperation with said blocks oscillates the cranks G G; and only at the end of each reciprocatory stroke of said frame. Such oscillation will, therefore, it will be further noted, effect the intermittent upward and downward m vement of bar G. The end of each arm of cranks G G from which bar G is suspended, articulates with said bar by means of a pin g secured to said bar and a horizontally elongated slot formed in the said arm, as shown in Figs. 8, l and 8, so that the articulation is such as'will allow the bell-cranks to participate in the reciprocation of the frame .H.

The reciprocating movement offrame H .is derived from the transverse shaft B,

through the medium of a cam H secured to said shaft and arranged to oscillate upon iotation, a lever. H pivoted upon the frame and which articulates with a longitudinally placed bar H 'T his bar articulates with a series of toggles H one end of each of which articulates with the said frame and the other end of which articulates with a fixed cross-piece A forming part of the main-frame. The stop g is secured .to the left-hand end of the machine (Fig. 6) for limiting the feeding movement of the staywire as will further appear.

Operation of stay-wire feeding and staybending mecms.-Let it now be assumed that the transverse shaft 13 is running and that the bar G has been brought into its uppermost position as illustrated in Fig. 10. In this position of said bar the die-members E are also in'a raised position and bring the stay-seat formed by the recesses e in the carriers 0 into a horizontal plane passing midway between the two feed-rolls C and C, and therefore in the line of feed of the latter. The operation of cam C to raise the rack C is so timed, that-the feed-rolls will begin to revolve and feed the stay-wire as soon as the stay-seat has reached the above-described position, and the throw of the cam is such as to continue the rotation of such rolls long enough to move the staywire along a distance sufficient to pass through all of recesses and a predetermined distance beyond the bending device E which is located at the extreme'left of the machine until it strikes the stop 9 The cam F is also timed to effect the movement of the bar F to the left so as to impart to the bending devices that movement along the groove (H, which will cause them to spread or recede, that is, cause them to move outwardly away from the central or fixed bending device, and while the feeding operation is taking place. In this raised poi sition of the bar G, frame H will be in its forwardmost position. \Vhen said frame is caused to efiect its return stroke, bell-cranks G G will be oscillated so as to move bar G downwardly. This downward movement effects the operation of a suitable cutting device, Fig. 10, whose path of operation intersects the stay-wire, -and severs such wire to forma stay. The knife blade J of the cutting devicc, is preferably mounted as shown in Figs. 8 and 12, so as to articulate with the adjacent bell-crank G through the medium of a pin g mounted upon the latter and a horizontally elongated slot 7" formed in the upper end of said blade. The complementary part J of the cutting device is suitably fixed to a bracket a secured to the frame A.

The amplitude of the backward movement of the frame is such as to bring the stay-carriers 6T 0 and hence the stay, to a position opposite the plungers The cam E is timed in a 1111111161 such that as soon as the stay is brought to the last described position, the rack E is raised and the shaft E rotated in that direction which will effect the backward movement of the plungers E Simultaneously with the engagement of the said pluneers with the stay, cam F moves the lever F so as to move bar Fin the direction opposite that just described, that is to the right, and inaugurates the inward or contracting movement of the bending devices. The continued backward movement of the plungers E and contracting movement of thebending devices as a whole. now takes place with the result that a multiplicity of bends are formed in the stay such as have been previously described, the said plungers cooperating'with the dies a to this end. This described in ward movement of the bending devices therefore compensates for the contraction in overall length experienced by the stay as a result of the formation thereon of the said 

